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When Veterans Come Home

September 2, 2011

Covering veterans and the challenges they face is the responsibility of journalists and news organizations in today's world. Below are video interviews and audio recordings from the two-day Dart Center workshop, "When Veterans Come Home," that was held in Philadelphia in 2011.

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With record numbers of women going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, journalists need to understand and tell the full range of their stories. Sonja Batten (deputy director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury) and Kayla Williams (author and former U.S. Army sergeant) tell reporters a few things they should know.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

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Reporting on service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan isn't just important for our country; it's critical for veterans reintegration into civilian communities. Paul Sullivan (executive director, Veterans for Common Sense), Michael Jernigan (retired Marine corporal), Mark Benjamin (investigative reporter, Salon.com), Jonathan shay (clinical psychiatrist and author) and Matthew Friedman (executive director, National Center for PTSD) tell journalists what they should keep in mind when they report on veterans.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

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War is ancient, but today's wars and today's military have unique attributes. Michael Jernigan, retired Marine Corporal, and Sonja Batten, deputy director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, explain what journalists need to know about veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

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These days, nearly everyone has heard of post-traumatic stress disorder. But that doesn't mean they understand PTSD, much less the broader, psychosocial effects of war. Retired Marine Corporal Michael Jernigan, Dr. Matthew Friedman, executive director of the National Center for PTSD, Sonja Batten, deputy director, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury and clinician and author Jonathan Shay shed light on the hidden wounds of war and the language that surrounds them.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

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As much as we know about the psychological effects of war, leading academics say we still have a lot to learn. Jonathan Shay (clinician and author), Thomas Horvath (retired V.A. director) and Matthew Friedman (executive director, National Center for PTSD) discussed fruitful avenues for future research, including the social effects of war, so-called "Mild" Traumatic Brain Injury and the need for better treatments.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

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As military service members return home, the story of war comes back to families and communities. What should journalists think about as they cover the traumatic impact of war on veterans' loved ones? The National Center for PTSD's Matthew Friedman, the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and TBI's Sonja Batten and retired Marine Corporal Michael Jernigan offer advice.

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

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Dave Philipps uncovered a combat brigade with a murder rate 20 times the national average. Even more startling was what they faced in Iraq. Phillips explains how he, as an outdoors reporter for the Colorado Springs Gazette who hadn't done anything like this before, reported his series, "Casualties of War," which became the book "Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home."

This video was produced by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma from interviews conducted at "When Veterans Come Home," a conference held in Atlanta in 2010 sponsored by Dart Center, the McCormick Foundation and the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

Andrew Stone, the director of the PTSD Clinical Team at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, gives an overview of war, veterans, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and the V.A. — all in ten minutes.

Veteran, journalist and author Kelly Kennedy discusses techniques for interviewing veterans with Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense. The discussion is moderated by Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.

Steven Sayers, clinical psychologist and expert in veterans' issues, gives an overview of the veterans' reintegration — the challenges faced by veterans and their families, and the services available to them.

Three experienced veterans reporters talk about the stories they have reported and give out free story ideas. The discussion includes Lisa Chedekel, co-founder of the Connecticut Health Investigative Team; Kelly Kennedy, health policy reporter at USA Today and author of They Fought for Each Other; and Susan Kaplan, reporter at WFCR in Amherst, MA. The discussion is moderated by Jim MacMillan, reporter-in-residence at Swarthmore College.